Duncan Archer

Your vehicle will be in section forty-three the information assistant told Duncan. He cursed as he wondered why they kept his car so far away. He was the first to arrive.

Duncan was in the Starliners elevator, and according to holographic numbers overhead, he was two more sections away. He was itching to drive that car. It was a Ford Mustang Mach one passed down over forty generations. But it wasn't passed on to Duncan, he stole it from his father.

A ding rang out, and the Ai announced to Duncan he was at his destination. The elevator door opened seamlessly and revealed a massive car park. Duncan made his way toward the receptionist area. There were already other passengers in a queue, and with a sigh, Duncan joined. It was a while before it was Duncan's turn, but the receptionist moved quickly and efficiently so, they were no complaints.

The receptionist was three people at a black-marbled counter with golden veins, a man in the center, and two women on each side of him. They wore blue with golden stripes in their caps and sleeves. Duncan went to the woman on the left. Her hair was blonde, and her eyes were icy blue, she had a metallic golden square on the right side of her face that blinked dimly with blue lights, indicating she was using a subprocessor implant. With a bright smile and a voice that almost sounded robotic, she spoke, "Good day star farer, I hope you have enjoyed the ride."

"I did, thank you," Duncan responded.

"Great! Input your data so I may assist you."

Two miniature doors slid open in front of her machine, and a blue light glowed from a chip scanner. Duncan hovered his hand over it and after a couple of beeps, it closed.

"Your vehicle and luggage will be waiting for you at lot thirty."

Duncan nodded, "Thank you."

"It is my pleasure!"

Duncan left the counter wondering how they could do this for hours on end. He made his way into the lot, where holographic numbers hovered over each vehicle. Each vehicle varied from simple fusion vehicles to luxury cars with complex shapes and designs.

Duncan was now approaching number twenty-four and porters went to and fro with the passenger's luggage. Finally, Duncan reached thirty, and there waiting was a porter taking selfies with Duncan's vehicles. It was a black mustang mach 1 that was heavily modified to suit the needs of each generation.

The porter, startled by Duncan's presence, almost dropped his phone. "Apologies sir, here are the keys to your vehicle...and also your luggage!"

Duncan nodded, "No worries."

The porter put his phone into his pocket and hurriedly walked away.

Duncan slipped his suitcases into the trunk of his vehicle and pressed the touchscreen interface on his key, and with a honk, the doors to the car unlocked. Duncan took a deep breath and pressed the start button. The roar and rumble of the engine echoed throughout the lot as Duncan pressed the gas. He loved to get the reactions to the sound of his gas engine. He put the car in reverse and followed the arrows that led to the lot's exit. The indicators led to what Duncan suspected to be the lift. Many other vehicles were parked on the lift, and less than ten spots were left on it. Duncan let the acceleration hit the floor filling the parking lot with roars foreign to people of this time, overtaking the sounds of their sharp and high-pitched fusion-powered engines.

Duncan overtook many cars and parked into one of the lots on the lift, even gaining a few honks from people who found his unsuspecting move to be annoying.

Inside the lift was lit up with the headlights of all the vehicles. Over the intercom, the ai said, "Lift at full capacity," and with the blare of an alarm, the doors behind the cars closed. The whirring of the lift was accompanied by occasional clanks of metal. Duncan felt nervous for some reason, but it wasn't long before the lift reached the outside.

A burst of light hit Duncan's windscreen. He was revealed to the scenery of spacecraft zipping to and fro through the airspace with the occasional space freighter tugging along slowly. Skyscrapers were numerous, close to each other, and varied from geometric to abstract to simple building designs.

"You have reached your destination, please enjoy your stay," The ai said.

A man with two glowing wands began to direct the cars of the lift. It was Duncan's turn to go and he sped off threading the needle as he passed every car in front of him. His engine filled the relative silence with a deep rumble and roar of his engine. As he increased speed, a sign indicating the speed limit made him slow down rapidly. Duncan had two thousand federation credits, and that was to last him until he found a job on the planet.

As Duncan gradually slowed to the correct speed of forty miles per hour, he noticed people taking pictures of his vehicle. Duncan enjoyed the attention received with this car, it made him feel rich and important.

The traffic lights up ahead were green, but then they turned amber, and then red, and as Duncan gradually came to a stop he began to think. His father, who loved him with all his heart, and had faith in and trust in him was betrayed by his son. The police should've been on Duncan's tail by now, but his father loved him too much, and Duncan took advantage of that love. After he was kicked out, he stole his father's trophy heirloom, and he stole it knowing that his father cared for him too much to call the authorities.

Duncan rests back in his seat and sighed. Tears began to form in his eyes, but he did not allow them to fall. The light turned green and he turned on his radio and played Vampire Heart by Isak Roen. It was really old music back when all humans lived on Earth, but Duncan preferred the old-time stuff. He preferred the movies; he preferred everything old-time.

Duncan already had a destination in mind. Before he came to this capital planet. In the city of Odyssea, Duncan already found an apartment to live in quadrant forty-three. He input the location on his GPS and made his way toward it.

It was a long drive, through the quadrant, and the contrast between the expensive and cheaper areas was immense. This was bad. As he went deeper he began to receive more looks of disdain.

Duncan could drive no further. He was on edge, he contemplated making a U-turn and heading back but the heavy presence of the Corporate police, FortressSec, gave him some reassurance. They were one of the corporate security forces on Capus, with their only competition being Watchguard.

As the FortressSec patrol vehicle passed, Duncan blew a sigh of relief. He shifted to first gear and sped off. He was one more street away from his destination. His apartment block stood tall and featured a holographic advertisement on the peak of its exterior.

The navigation told Duncan to turn left, and he did so turning into a parking lot. He found a spot to park on the first floor. The lot was empty and it was quiet except for the occasional car or ship passing by.

Duncan made his way to his apartment on the third floor. When he exited the elevator, he was met with a run-down hallway with a lot of graffiti and neon lights. He reached his room marked '4-02.' He input the passcode and entered a spacious, and cozy apartment that had a massive window, and a king-sized bed. In the left corner of the room were a computer and a swivel chair with a sponge hanging from the openings on it. He stepped into his room, threw his bag on the floor, and immediately went to the computer.

Duncan held his head as it was now afflicted by a blinding headache. He began to search on the web for any open positions. A list of jobs and their positions emerged, and Duncan began to scroll. He came upon, a job for garbage disposal, and also an open position for FotressSec personnel. He hovered over that vacancy for a while thinking of joining, but he dismissed the thought. A good minute hadn't even passed when Duncan came upon a job that was perfect for him. A department store was looking for delivery drivers, and surprisingly no one applied. He immediately took the opportunity. There was nothing left to do now but wait.

Duncan took a bath and put on a new outfit. He wore black cargo pants, a jacket, and electronic all-black shades. High-top boots covered his feet. He left his apartment and came face-to-face with an old man who had also left his abode. He had tattoos covering his entire neck, and he looked menacing. For a second they stared at each other before Duncan broke the silence trying not to be awkward.

"Morning." He said, raising a hand.

The old man looked him up and down before speaking. "You new around here?"

Duncan nodded, "Yeah."

"Which sector did you move from?" The old man asked.

"Oh, I'm not from this sphere, I just arrived today," Duncan corrected.

The old man gave a faint smile, "Welcome to the shit hole my friend, try not to get covered in it." The man began to laugh as he walked away.

Duncan watched the old man, perplexed. He put his earphones in and began to play Night Lovell. It was an oldie, but way better than the stuff they played now. His music was interrupted briefly by a subreddit notification with the title r/Should we Glass Earth?" Duncan scowled as he slipped his phone into his back pocket. He loved to use that app; it was a classic, but sometimes, he wondered if the people who used it were mentally unstable. Duncan entered the elevator and headed for the first floor.

Duncan passed the parking lot and stared at his Mustang in all its glory. He would drive it around, but that was too dangerous. He thought it was more dangerous to leave it out in the open. Duncan made his way back to his apartment and grabbed his keys. He returned to his car and took out some tarp from the trunk, and in one swift shove of his hand, the tarp lay gently on the vehicle. His car was now even more secure.

Duncan's pocket began to vibrate. He stuck his hand in and grabbed his phone; he was receiving a call. His heart raced as he realized the number, and he could not help but wonder why they got back to him so early. He answered hands shivering slightly.

"Hello, good morning," Duncan said.

"Good morning, am I speaking with Duncan Archer?" The man on the other end asked.

"Yes sir, that is me."

"Would you be able to start working today?"

"Yes please."

"Would you be able to get here for nine?"

"Of course!"

"I look forward to seeing you."

The call ended and Duncan's heart was racing slightly. He looked at the time and it was now eight-thirty. If he took a maglev train he would certainly reach his destination in time. He left his car and made his way toward a train station. He received some looks as he dashed toward his destination. Duncan made it to the Station and the look of it was very pleasing to the eyes. It was lit by sky-blue ambient lights that illuminated the train's passenger compartment and lined the edges of the stylish white canopies that were placed as segments over the sitting area.

The train that would take Duncan to his destination arrived and it slightly screeched as it began to slow down. The doors slid open and the passengers started to leave hurriedly.

It was now fifteen minutes into the train ride and the nervous thumping of Ducan's boots on the floor sent metallic rings throughout the train car. This made some people give him some concerning looks. Suddenly, the Ai intercom announced, "Arriving at Quadrant Forty-four in two minutes. Duncan blew a sigh of relief as he checked the time. "8:47."

The mag-Lev train came to a halt, but Duncan was already standing by the door. When it slid open, he dashed for his destination startling a few people who wanted to enter the train. Duncan ran hard and fast to his destination. He bumped into some pedestrians but quickly apologized before sprinting up the steps that led to the upper city. Revealed to him, was a bustling city. A sea of people walked to and fro. A line of cars that stretched to the horizon was stuck in traffic, and many of them honked their horns and cursed at each other. The buildings towered to the heavens, making their peaks invisible in the clouds. Spacecraft entered and exited the atmosphere, and it was continuous with no end in sight.

There was no way Duncan could've made it in time, but the least he could do is try. He began his sprint again, shouting that he was "Coming through!" Duncan checked the GPS on his phone to make sure he was going down the right streets. It was 9:00, but he did not want to get there any later. He checked his GPS once more ignoring the bright-colored line that lead him to his destination. He looked about the map of the city to find any shortcuts. He locked his eyes on a left turn that would send him on a path to the alley beside the job he was going to. Duncan slipped his phone into his pocket and began to walk to the left turn he saw on the detailed GPS map. As expected the alley was right there, filled with trash and one singular vending machine that seemed to be working because of the blinking light.

Duncan made his way down the dirty and sketchy alley, moving quickly. He made the right turn, and the job he was looking for was right beside him. He approached the street when the shutter door at the back of the building began to open.

Duncan stopped in his tracks. His body told him to run, but he knew that he needed this job. He quickened his pace even more as the shutter fully opened to reveal a girl in a blue apron, with garbage in hand. Duncan slowed now, so as to not startle her. She was pretty, with black hair dyed with silver on the tips, and put into a bun. Her nose was adorned with a septum piercing, and her eyes were a striking blue. She wore black cargo pants that stopped a little over her ankle, with black and pink sneakers.

Duncan usually wouldn't say anything to a stranger, but he made it his priority not to scare her. She stopped in her tracks eyes widened at the stranger coming down the alleyway, but she averted her eyes and threw the garbage into the waste skip. Duncan passed but not before saying something. "How're you doing today?" He asked, hands in pockets. The girl put on a smile that Duncan knew was fake and she responded, "I'm fine, thanks." Before heading back into the building.

He was now at the front of the store, Called the "Urban Vogue." He stood at the front, nervous and sweaty, as women with their reusable shopping bags exited the store laughing and talking. Something in his brain was telling him to avoid this place at all costs, that this job wasn't worth it. He was here already, what's the point in running away now?

He entered the store, and it looked classy. Everything was white beside the clothing that hung on robotic mannequins that switched poses every ten seconds. The roof of the store waved slowly like the ocean on a calm day. Clothes hung on circular racks that spun clockwise at a rate that was manageable for viewing, and many women lingered by them sifting through the various items while being assisted by female workers who wore green, yellow, purple, pink, and blue aprons. In the distance in the corner of the store, was a small section dedicated to men's fashion. It was empty.

Wasting no time, Duncan went to the nearest worker in a light blue apron who sat on a short white stool and chewed gum while scrolling through her phone. When I approached, she slipped her phone into her pocket before rising to assist me. "How may I help you?" She said with her hands behind her back.

"I'm looking for someone in charge, I have a job interview today."

"Oh, you're the new driver?" She asked with her left hand on her hip while pointing the other at me.

Duncan shrugged, "I guess I am."

"Okay, follow me," she said making her way past me and going toward the wooden door beside the register. The door led to an empty lunchroom illuminated by a white light. The woman continued on up the stairs in front of us, before stopping at a mechanical door with the name August Garrington on it. A buzzer and a talking interface were beside the door and she pressed it making the interface turn green before she leaned and spoke into it.

"Mr.Garrington, the driver has arrived!" She shouted into the buzzer.

It was a few seconds before a warped voice responded. "Send him in."

"You go ahead now," the woman said turning and smiling at me. She walked down the stairs and her hips swayed gracefully as she did so. A low metallic zip was heard as the mechanical door opened. Duncan turned and entered the office of Mr.Garrington. It was a sight to behold. The room was gradient with a mix of gold and silver light. The silver light came from the massive holographic tv, and the golden light came from the rectangular lights embedded in the ceiling. The room was decored with a mix of antique and modern furniture and electronics. Behind his desk was an office chair not of this age, and books were stacked messily atop his desk. On the shelves were clothes folded neatly and packed tightly so no empty spaces were left out.

Duncan was in a time machine, or dimensional machine, for he laid his eyes upon items of different ages. His eyes finally landed on Mr.Garrington, an old man---and a stylish one at that---stood facing away from Duncan, eyes peeled on his computer. He wore a black fedora that covered silver hair. He wore a black blazer and black patterned slim-fitting trousers.

Duncan stepped forward, nervous. "Good morning, Mr.Garrington." He said, straightening his posture. Mr.Garrington stood silent, swiping his laptop screen before speaking. "You're late, Mr. Archer." He said, his voice sounding more posh than it did through the buzzer.

"I apologize sir, but I came all the way from Forty-three, and your call was unexpected," Duncan said, sounding as sorry as he could.

"Understandable," Mr. Garrington retorted. He finally stopped scrolling and met Duncan's eyes, and they were a beautiful silver color that matched his hair. His tie matched the color and pattern of his pants and he wore a silver chain that had a red gem encased. "Be warned Mr. Archer, this is the last time you will ever be late, I don't want to hear any excuses. Do you understand ME now?"

Duncan was taken aback by his sharp and demanding tone, but he agreed nonetheless.

"Good!" Mr. Garrington said with a bright pearly white smile. "The vehicle you will be using is in the garage." He opened the drawer of his desk and took out a rectangular key with curved edges, and also a tablet.

"On this tablet, there is a list of people who you must deliver some clothing items, everything else you need to know is on the tablet as well. Also, here is the key, ask one of the girls to show you to the garage," Garrington said, throwing the keys at Duncan.

Duncan caught the keys effortlessly before giving a small salute and leaving Mr.Garrington's office with the tablet underarm. He made his way out of the office and down the stairs where the girl in the light blue apron who brought him to the office waited. "Hope he didn't treat you too harshly she said with a bright smile on her face.

The girl's skin was brown and flawless. Her hair was put into two loosely done buns at the top of her head. Her eyes were green, and her lips were glistening and full. A gold thin gold chain sat on her neck and a small circular earring adorned her ears.

She was a pretty cute girl like most of them that he saw working in the store, but the one that he saw outback was most stunning to him. His thoughts were interrupted when the girl introduced herself. "The name is Evangelina," she said extending her hand for a shake. He shook her hand and introduced himself also. "And I'm Duncan, a pleasure to meet you." It was a few awkward seconds before, Duncan broke the silence, extending the tablet that Mr.Garrington gave to him. "I have to go make a few deliveries, can you show me to the garage?"

"Sure! Let's go."

Duncan followed her out of the cafeteria and past the register toward the circular spinning racks. He walked straight down an aisle close to a wall that had many shoes displayed on it, and we were headed toward another door. This time, the door led straight to the garage where a large silver van with curvy edges, and the words written boldly in black "Urban Vogue." The two double doors at the back were open and a girl that Duncan recognized loaded Urban Vouge shopping bags into the van.

"This is it," Evangelina said standing in the doorway. "

Duncan nodded and thanked her before she closed the door. The girl that Duncan met in the alleyway exited the van and was startled to see who it was. "Oh, it's you. I had no idea you were going to be the new driver."

He smiled hands in his pockets and nervous out of his mind. "I'm Duncan, it's a pleasure to meet you, again," he said letting out a chuckle.

"Yeah," The girl said chuckling as well. "I'm Briseis, the pleasure is mine," she said placing her hand on her chest. "Ah, well, I already loaded all the orders into the van, so you are set."

Ducan unlocked the van. "Thanks," He said making his way toward the driver's side.

Briseis gave two thumbs before swinging her hands awkwardly. "Oh, right! Let me open the shutter for you," she said, making her way to the interface on the door. She pressed the button and slowly, it began to rise.

It finally opened, and Duncan started the van and it let out a long high-pitched whistle. He honked the horn gaining a wave from Briseis.

'I think I'm gonna enjoy this job.'

.